Back Stabber
by Shiggity Shwa
Summary: A year after the hatch is discovered, relations with 'the others' start to act up again. But when Kate said she really had Jack's back, did she mean it? JK


_Hey I'm so sorry this story was late, I never expected it to be this long but a few changes were made because CrAzYhOrSeGiRl88 kept making me change it because it was originally supposed to be dark and angsty and there was supposed to be bitch slapping! But then I told her my idea and she was like, "Noooooo it has to be happy, they have to be happy!" and then I didn't want any kissing to happen, but then I caved. So here is the story that's unwanted by me. That was supposed to turn out completely different! But I made it her way because she gave me the words I had to have in the story, which are:  
Flutter  
Snow  
Rain  
Talon  
Tension  
Tearing  
Guilt  
Betray  
Wings  
Desperiation  
Vanilla  
Deeply  
Warily  
Stir  
Hollow  
Now they have to be in the story in one for or another, so this just shows how creative I am (BTW thanks for vanilla, because you know I use that word everyday) _

**Disclaimer: You know I don't own them, because I've only said it every single frickin' tome that I write a damn story. So there, I don't own them, thanks for reminding me that I'm a poor teenager who has amounted to nothing. **

Back Stabber 

"Back stabber, hope grabber  
Greedy little fit haver,  
How I feel for you, fool,  
Shit lover, off brusher,  
Jaded bitter joy crusher,  
Failure has made you so cruel"  
- 'Back Stabber' by The Dresden Dolls

* * *

She said a lot of things to him in the year that he's known her, words that have made his heart soar and beat like a jungle drum, sentences that made his face fall and question everything that was good in the world. She's shared secrets of her past with him, and listened intently when he poured his heart out to her, her smile giving him strength, the way she held his hand like he was keeping her from floating up to the heavens where she looked like she belonged. It dulled down the sharp edges of the conversation, making his dirty lies and uncouth acts seem like new born kittens and fluffy ducklings. 

She's told him about the Marshal, and in return he told her about his father. She told him about her mother, how she cried for help the last time Kate saw her alive. He told her about Sarah and how the last time he saw her, she was standing stoic in the courtroom only a few feet away from him as the divorce terms were being read. Kate smiled when she talked of Tom, and laughed when she reminisced about all the times they had together, sometimes when she thought he wasn't looking, she'd wipe tears she hoped he'd never see.

Their camaraderie had flourished in the twelve months spent on the island; they spent almost every waking movement together after Jack had finally convinced her to move to the caves. The company was quite calming for the both of them; for Kate it reminded her of what she used to have with Tom. It reminded Jack of what he should've had with Sarah.

The others watched them, what else was there to do? Lost on an island with no television the alternatives were scarce. After they returned from a day of collecting fruit, or from bringing up stored food from the hatch, the group would whisper and theorize about how their day had been spent in the jungle.

Somehow it was different with them. Charlie and Claire were the cute couple with the toddler son running around. They were the perfect image of what newlyweds should look like. Shannon and Sayid were the opposite, so full of passion, never afraid to show it anywhere when it was necessary. But no one knew about Jack and Kate, there had been no physical signs of love exchanged between them as far as everyone knew.

It was the honest truth, though they were together more then eighteen hours a day, neither of them had ever received more then a quick embrace from one another. They both seemed content with the strong friendship and didn't want to dismantle it for anything.

Now they were somewhere out in the depths of the jungle, Jack had let down his guard on Kate over the months, believing her when she said she could protect herself in the wilderness, but he still preferred to go with her whenever he could.

She grunted as she shimmed her way down the passion fruit tree, and onto the ground in record time before Jack had even moved his foot an inch down to the next appropriate grip.

"You're loosing your touch Dr. Sheppard," she panted as she moved over to a jagged boulder and sunk down before it, leaning her overworked back against it as she pulled out a water bottle from her backpack that lay nearby.

She took a guzzle of the water to assuage her thirst, then watched in amusement as Jack took the next fifteen minutes to climb down from the tree. Even though she had taught him how to climb and shimmy down trees, he was still only an amateur.

"We all weren't born with tree climbing skills like you," he announced as he made it to the bottom. She let out a dry laugh as he made his way too her, slinking down beside her.

She handed him a bottle of water, "It takes years of practice, just like being a doctor, I'm sure if you showed me how to remove someone's appendix today, that I wouldn't be able to do it perfectly tomorrow," she stated as she screwed the cap back onto her bottle.

It was nearing October, and soon the monsoon season would be among them again. A cold wind drifted through the trees, shaking the leaves almost instrumentally. The petals of the vibrant colored flowers hanging off the tropical tree's branches were falling to the ground like a serene snowfall, fluttering lightly from left to right like a monarch butterfly trying to take its first flight.

"It's beautiful," Kate expressed as her eyes glimmered. The dark burgundy petals seemed to be showcasing a forgotten memory for her.

"What are you thinking about?" Jack questioned, she looked up at him, her gray-green eyes sparkling with delight, "Just about one time Tom and I cut class to go to the make-out spot."

Jack chuckled along with Kate, "Are you sure you graduated high school?" he questioned as they turned to watch the mesmerizing, dancing petals.

"I don't know, I think I skipped my graduation," she commented with a quirky giggle. "But I this is like nothing I've ever seen before, it looks like its raining petals," she expressed.

"It's certainly unique," he commented with a stifled yawn as he leaned back further against the rock.

Kate turned to him with a glare, "It's beautiful, there's probably nothing in this world that could compare," she expressed with sincerity. With a small gust of the winter wind approaching, one of the petals was blown from it's neighbors and landed in Kate's dark curls.

Jack stared at her; she seemed to be glowing in the tattered sunlight of the canopy. Glided in an angelic radiance, her eyes shone like emeralds, her hair glistened like satin, all she was missing was the wings.

"What?" she asked becoming antsy under Jack's strict attention. She turned and looked over her shoulder to see if there was some point of interest behind her that had caught his eye, when she couldn't find anything specifically she turned back to find him still staring with a smile planted on his face, "What?" she asked again with a nervous chuckle.

He reached up and tenderly lifted the petal from her hair, setting it on the dusty ground, "You're more beautiful then anything I've ever seen," he informed as he took her hand in his.

She grinned, her whole face beaming as she entwined her fingers through his, as he moved closer, his face only inches from hers. She wanted to kiss him, more then anything in the world, perhaps even more then being rescued she wanted to kiss him. But she didn't want to destroy the solid relationship they'd built just for her own joy.

"Jack," She whispered breathlessly, his lips so close her hears she could feel the heat they admitted, "I thought we agreed?"

"I say we forget about that," he whispered, his hand sliding to behind her neck.

Before she could utter an answer, his lips were on hers, affectionately caressing hers, not rushing the moment, or overloading their senses. There was no island, just Jack and Kate in the shower of blossom petals.

* * *

"It's been a year," Charlie stated as he held Aaron up by his hands are the boy balanced unnaturally on his wobbly feet.

"Dude, they have to eventually," Hurley reminded as he worked on gutting the fish Jin had caught. After the raft idea failed twice, Sawyer, Michael and Jin had safely made it back to the island, but they had still yet to find Walt.

"Well of course," Charlie responded with a funny face, making Aaron giggle, "But I mean it's been a year, and nothing, how bloody long does it have to take?"

"Well we all can't fall head over heels with the first pregnant Australian girl we meet," Hurley replied with dripping sarcasm.

"Are you kidding me?" Charlie asked as he picked up Aaron and sat him on his lap, "They were totally together emotionally before I even saw Claire," he explained. Hurley gave him a skeptical glance. "Really, you weren't there when we looked for the cockpit."

"Don't you guys have anything better to talk about?" Jack asked as he walked by and placed a few more logs on the fire.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so cocky," Charlie spoke haughtily, "How do you even know we were talking about you and Kate?"

"Well I never did mention Kate or me," Jack replied with a superior grin, "And we were the only ones with you when we went to look for the cockpit."

"Jack," Locke called from across the camp, "I need to speak with you for a moment."

Jack nodded and placed the last branch on the fire. Hurley and Charlie watched as he went, and Aaron waved goodbye.

He walked over to a somewhat secluded area where Locke stood waiting for him, "What's on your mind?" Jack asked amicably, even though he really didn't feel friendly towards Locke.

"Scott was killed today," he whispered bluntly.

"Excuse me?" Jack questioned, not understanding if this was some kind of a sick joke.

"His body was found up by the waterfall, floating in the lagoon. There was a not attached to his back. It said, "Run, hide or die."" He spoke quickly, but expertly.

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Jack wondered outloud, "How many people know?"

"Sayid and I buried his body almost immediately after we found him, so I don't think anyone else knows," he paused for a moment, "And we were looking for you, but you were out collecting fruit all day with Kate again," he added with an undertone.

Jack frowned, "We have to tell everyone about it, they have to know that they're in danger."

"Alright," Locke agreed with a sturdy nod, "I think the first thing is to get people out of the jungle, at least for today, then we can decide what to do about this."

"Okay," Jack agreed and began to untie the key from around his neck. Locke eyed the movement, "Just in case," Jack cautioned.

Locke gave a look of understanding and watched as Jack scrambled away quickly to go and retrieve the weapons.

"Dude!" Hurley called to him when he saw him dart towards the jungle, "What's going on?"

"Make sure that no one else goes into the jungle," he told Hurley as he stopped to grab a backpack, "It's very important that no one else goes in there alone, or at all," he stressed.

"Okay, I got it, but why?" Hurley still questioned.

"Hurley would I have asked you to do this if it was for a good reason?" Jack sighed with irritation.

"You could be like planning a surprise or…" Hurley trailed off when he saw the look on Jack's face, "It's bad isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's pretty bad," he divulged with a morose smile, the turned and headed into the jungle.

* * *

The jungle was calm, small streams of light filtered through the leafy canopy from above, birds twittered almost silently, as if they were spreading rumors about the people below them on the beach. As Jack's boots crunched the detritus of the jungle floor, he silently wondered if they were taking bets on him and Kate as well. It didn't matter, because no one had found out so far, so the rightful winner wouldn't even get their loot. 

His walking speed slowed as he reached the area where the briefcase was hidden among the fronds at the trunk of a tree. As he found the appropriate tree, there was a rustling of branches from behind him.

Instantly remembering the note that Locke had paraphrased for him, he stood quickly and straight backed, like he was ten and his father was berating him for another rule breaking stunt.

As more branches continued to brush against something, Jack contemplated speedily undoing the Halliburton and whisking a gun out for his safety. But as the noisemaker emerged from the trees, he sighed at the fact that he didn't have to.

Kate gracefully made her way into the natural clearing, tenderly pushing branches out of her way, walking with such class, even though the jungle. It reminded Jack of when he had lied to her about the dynamite in her backpack.

"Are you okay?" He questioned as he sprinted to meet her in the middle of the clearing.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she stated, "What are you doing out here?"

"Did you see anything out of place?" Jack interrupted her, "Anything at all?"

"No, everything's normal, what's wrong?" she asked, "Are you out here to get the guns?" she added, her eyes growing big as she looked behind him at the toppled suitcase glaring in the spattered sunlight.

"Scott died," He informed, "The other's killed him and put a note on his back, it said the three options Danielle gave to us a while back. Remember? Run, hide or die?" He explained quickly as he walked back over to the case and unlocked it, taking the guns and ammunition out.

"We're going to have a discussion about it tonight, to try and decide what to do about this," He continued as he got up, "What are you doing out here alone anyways?"

"Jack, I'm fine," she repeated, "I don't even have a new scratch or smudge of dirt since you last saw me."

"You shouldn't be out here alone anyways, even if the other's weren't planning on attacking, it's not safe," he informed as he hastily shoved the guns and ammo into his bag. He had always taken out the extra bullets, so there was no concern of them going off. When they were secure he began to walk back to the trail.

"Hey," Kate called to him as she grabbed his arm. When he turned around to face her, she lovingly slid her arms around his waist, hugging him tight, "Relax," she coaxed him gently, "Everyone's okay."

He sighed and placed his cheek into her silky hair as he slithered his arms around her, "I just worry, that's all," he disclosed as his hand mussed through her hair.

"And it's very comforting," Kate enlightened as she leaned up and planted a gentle kiss on his lips, "But it invades privacy."

"Alright, I'll ease up on the privacy invasion, if you ease up on the jungle exploration?" He suggested as he stuck out his hand.

"Deal," Kate agreed as she shook it.

"We'd better get back to the caves, before everyone starts worrying about us," he advised.

"Or before they start their speculation," Kate added as the pair headed back in the direction of the caves.

* * *

A heavy slamming sound awoke Kate from her light slumber; she was just beginning to loose consciousness when the rude sound had jolted her back into reality. She had been waiting for Jack. He, Locke and Sayid were discussing what to do about the other's and how to handle the up coming hurricane season. Last year at this time, Michael had just lost his son, and Claire had just bore hers. So it was decided that everyone should move into the hatch, which mirrored a rabbit's burrow. A long hallway with literally hundreds of rooms branching off. But they would never be rescued if they all hid underground, not to mention the immense heat. 

She opened her hazy eyes and saw Jack pacing around in the opening of her cave. The firelight illuminating his figure as he grumbled something to himself, thinking something over.

"Jack?" she asked hoarsely as she placed a hand innocently over her eyes to rub sight back into them.

He stopped his pacing, and looked up to see her squinting face in the semi-darkness of the caves, "Hey," he greeted her weakly.

"What's going on?" she whispered. Shannon and Sayid had the cave to the right of her, and she swore that girl could hear secrets through her sleep.

He walked towards her quietly and sat down beside her as she sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her head a top them, "Locke wants to send out scouts into the jungle to spy on the others," Jack announced.

"Why?" Kate questioned as she watched Jack intently as he spoke.

"He wants to know where the others are, and what they're planning to do to us," he stated, "I suggested we hide out in the hatch, and he said we can't keep hiding there every time something goes wrong, and that sometime soon we have to confront these others."

"Well he does have a point, Jack," she mumbled groggily, "If we're on this island for another ten years, then these guys are just going to keep bullying us around. We have to stick it to them sometime," she finished with a yawn.

Jack smiled at her half-minded speech, "Is that what you think about it?" Jack questioned lightly as he took his hand and tenderly began caressing Kate's cheek.

She closed her eyes, smiling, "All I know is that it's too late to be discussing politics," she added with another yawn as she lay back down.

Jack chuckled, "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered as he got up to leave the cave, but Kate's hand shot up and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, "Can't you just stay here for the night?" she asked as she pulled him down to lay a kiss on his lips.

"I would," Jack told her, then continued between kisses, "if I could. But of someone finds me here in the morning our cover is blown."

"You get up earlier then everyone else Jack," she told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to force him down beside her, "Just sneak back to your cave. Besides its just harmless sleeping," she explained.

He grinned and fell into place beside her, draping a hand casually over her hip as she snuggled against his comforting chest. He kissed her hair, as she began to fall asleep; he felt her cool cheek on his chin and involuntarily smiled.

But even now, lying with the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, head over heels for her, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if Locke did find people to go out into the jungle to scout for him.

"Kate?" he whispered softly into her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

"Yeah," she whispered back as she snuggled even closer to Jack.

"You've got my back, right?" he questioned to her again, just like he did a year ago when he noticed the Locke problem beginning to sprout.

She smiled and leaned into him, her lips kissing his cheek gently, then moved close to his ear, "Always," she whispered.

* * *

The emotion of the camp the next morning was frightening. No one stepped within five feet of the tree lined perimeter of the jungle. Jin never went out to catch new fish, Sun never went to her garden to get any fruit, and Locke had never left to hunt any boar. 

The food was beginning to run low, so the rationing system was used, which made people even grumpier, considering there was plenty of food, but each method of retrieving it, consisted of entering the jungle.

A real panic had been instilled when Aaron had managed to take a few steps away from Charlie and Claire and headed directly for the path he saw everyone use at least ten times each day. Almost immediately of seeing his traveling route, Charlie, Claire and five others rose to go and return the baby.

Kate huffed as she stared at the trees, she understood that the others were coming, but the group had held their own to them in the past, and could again defeat them. _Yeah, try telling that to Michael_, she reminded as she rested her head in her hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Michael sitting, flipping through the postcards he had sent to Walt as a child like he did every morning. They had never seen him since his kidnapping. He would've turned eleven two months ago.

To Kate the whole scenario was becoming ridiculous, leaving in fear from some boogey people who lived in the jungle who were supposedly hunting and capturing them for sport? Kate had lived in fear before, everyday for five years while she was on the run, and she didn't like it one bit.

Kate furrowed her eyebrows as she made a rash decision. Perhaps all the camp needed was someone to show them not to be afraid of what was around them. It had been that way with the monster during the first few months, and she supposed the same method would rid them of this paranoia.

She walked towards her cave and emptied out all the items from her backpack, then hurriedly threw it over her shoulder. She had one chance to make this work, because if Jack caught her, she'd never hear the end of it.

Taking a peek outside her cave to scan the area of anyone who might try and stop her, Kate cautiously set one foot out of her cave, then the other, until she was striding at a fast past towards the casual path to the fruit bearing trees.

She placed one foot on the worn path then the next. After all the fear instilled, she had some lingering thought that she might burst into flames upon entering the woods. Making her way down the path, she thought she was going to make it to the fruit trees without any argument.

That is until she heard that familiar voice called her name in a disappointed tone. She turned around and placed the most innocent and angelic look on her face that she could muster, "I was just trying to get some fruit," she explained as she walked to the man that stood five feet behind her on the path.

Jack sighed with irritation, "There was one simple rule Kate," he reminded as he brought a hand to his face, covering his eyes.

"But people are starting to turn savage back there," she exclaimed as she pointed in the caves' direction.

"You want to see savage, just wait until I get through with you," he joked as they began to walk back.

"Was that a threat Dr. Sheppard?" she asked with false fright, "Or was it a come on?" he continued raising an eyebrow provocatively.

"Whatever way you choose to interpret it," he replied with a grin. Kate giggled as they reached the edge of the camp. A few of the people looked towards them in awe surprised that they had gone into the jungle.

"Now can I leave you here, or do I have to keep you from staging another jail break?" he questioned sternly.

"I was just trying to help, Jack," she informed morosely.

"I know," he replied as he stepped close to her, their bodies almost touching, "It's just…" Jack stopped his sentence abruptly when he realized that others from the camp were still watching. He moved back and inch, but brought his hand up so it rested on Kate's cheek, hidden by her hair, "I just worry about you."

"I know," she assured as she closed her eyes and leaned into the warmth of his hand, "But I can take care of myself."

"I know that," he replied with a smile, then leaned in and whispered, "But at least let me pretend to be the one who has to protect you, it does wonders for my self-esteem."

Kate rolled her eyes and let out a small giggle, "Alright, don't let me be the one to shatter your visions," she agreed with a smile.

* * *

Kate sighed as she made it back to her cave, there seemed to be nothing to do when the jungle was on a firm restriction. Charlie and Claire were spending time with Aaron, Shannon and Sayid were giggling about something, and everyone else just seemed generally busy, she had no idea were Jack had gone, but he always seemed to disappear to somewhere. 

"Kate," A voice called out to her and she turned around to see Locke smiling at her, the scar he had received in the plane crash still sticking out like a sore thumb, "Can I talk to you for a second?" he questioned as he waved her over.

She turned around and walked towards him, "Sure John," she agreed.

"I'm sure Jack told you of our meeting, and the clash of ideas we had," Locke smiled as he began to sharpen on of his many knives.

"Yeah he told me about it last- this morning," Kate quickly recovered from almost blowing the secret.

"Well I was wondering if you'd be one of the scouts," he asked her, "Sawyer's already agreed, and I'll be the third. I know you know how to track and use a gun so you were a natural choice."

"I'd like to John," she began, "but…"

"No, I understand, you and Jack have come to some kind of understanding," Locke nodded.

"I promised him I wouldn't," Kate divulged as she shifted uncomfortably.

"I understand you have to keep your guarantee, but is that how you feel about the situation? If we don't try to stop the others now, there might not be another chance, they're whittling us down," he explained.

"If Jack notices I'm gone…" she stated.

"We'd be going at night, for only a few hours, we'd come back when it was still dark out and he'd never notice," Locke declared.

Kate thought about it for a moment, if she agreed and they found out where the others were and what they were planning, many lives could be spared. But if Jack found out, he'd think that she was lying to him. She sighed exasperatedly, "Do we need guns?" she questioned. Locke only grinned.

* * *

The night was calm as the fire's crackled haphazardly, the moon hung high and bright overhead, like a giant street light, illuminating everything. Beside it millions of stars spread out like speckles of paint flung at the sky. Everyone lay sleeping peacefully, their mind full of dreams, trying to block out the seriousness of the day.

Kate softly walked across the light dusty ground towards Jack's cave, she snuck inside unnoticed and crept quietly past Jack's sleeping figure. In the moonlight she saw what she was looking for, Jack's backpack in a dank corner of the cave.

Slipping off her own backpack as she walked towards it, she emptied three guns and a substantial amount of ammunition into hers. An unhappy looked crossed her face when she realized what she was doing, but she shook it off and zipped up her bag quietly.

As she tip-toed out of the cave, she stopped momentarily and took in Jack's calm sleeping form, oblivious at the betrayal she was committing. Leaning over gently, she lightly placed a kiss on his forehead and whispered, "I'm sorry Jack."

With that said, she swiftly rose and exited the cave and found Locke and Sawyer waiting for her at the edge of the jungle, "What took you so long Freckles?" Sawyer questioned, "You and the Doc havin' a moment?"

Kate sighed as she handed Locke a gun, "Do you even hear the words you speak?" she questioned harshly as she gave him his gun.

Locke chuckled lightly as he began to load his ammo, "This isn't going to be a problem is it?" he questioned as they began to walk down the trail.

"No," Kate replied, "But if my gun accidentally goes off and Sawyer ends up on the ground, it wasn't my fault," she added phlegmatically.

"Well aren't you the little stand up comedian tonight," Sawyer joked as they continued to walk the dark path towards the area, they knew belonged to the others.

"We should keep the talking to a minimum," Locke suggested, "We wouldn't want to give away our position earlier then we have to," he added. Kate grinned; she knew he was just saying that to shut Sawyer up.

As the night dragged on, the jungle bugs stopped emitting their calls and it became mysteriously quiet. The only sound was the trio's footsteps hitting the ground, and Sawyer's panting for breath, "Maybe you should cut down on the smoking?" Kate questioned from behind Sawyer.

"Maybe you should shut up," Sawyer replied hastily. Kate just rolled her eyes.

"Keep it down you two," Locke demanded, "We're at the edge of their camp."

Kate and Sawyer exchanged looks with each other, but then walked cautiously to where Locke crouched, looking through the bushes.

He was looking upon a camp that had sturdy shelters that looked as if a professional architect had built them. As they were watching a large, husky man was taking down the sides of one, packing it up.

"They're packing up their camp to move it closer to ours," Locke enlightened, "And they're only a few hours away."

"So what the hell are we supposed to do about it?" Sawyer asked, "There's at least fifty o'them and three of us. We've got three measly guns and we don't know what the hell they've got, but they can break bones," he stated angrily.

"We're just surveying Sawyer," Locke reminded, "Where not here to begin a shoot out, we just want to know where they're at and what they're planning."

"What do you mean, what they're planning?" Sawyer raised his voice, "They're obviously coming to waste us," he replied.

"Yeah," Kate replied as she kept a keen eye on a muscular man who was sharpen knives then setting them in a pile next to him, "We should get back and move into the hatch," she suggested then realized that Jack was right all along, and her heart filled with guilt, "We shouldn't be here."

"Jesus, of course we shouldn't be here Freckles," Sawyer agreed hastily, "We're gonna end up with our asses skinned."

"Just keep it down," Locke demanded, "We'll sneak out of here," he informed. Turning behind him, he began to creep away from the stakeout area. Sawyer turned and followed and then Kate.

"If we stay perfectly quiet," Locke barely whispered, "We should be able to…" he was cut short as Sawyer foot slammed hard to the ground, snapping a twig that echoed in the silence of the jungle.

The trio froze, hoping that the others didn't hear the sound, but the ruckus of people scrambling for their weapons and guns cocking told them that wasn't so.

"Run!" Locke yelled as he shot to his feet and began to tear though the tall grasses, leaving a gash like an eagle's talon slicing through a fish's scaly skin.

"Com'on Freckles," Sawyer pressured as he grabbed her wrist and dragged her to a standing position.

As they ran through the jungle, they could hear the footsteps of the keen hunters gaining on them, as if every step they took, the others took two more.

"Sawyer, this isn't going to work," She panted as they dodged the trees, weaving in between the thin trunks trying to through their pursuers off, "We should be hiding not running."

"Well Locke ran and he seems to be doin' pretty good for himself," Sawyer commented. Suddenly a gun went off and a bullet whizzed between Kate and Sawyer.

"Sawyer, if we don't hide, then we're going to die," she enlightened as they entered another field of tall grass.

"Well that would sure as hell make sense Freckles, since it's the only option of the crazy French lady's that we haven't used yet," he pointed out as they made their way through the field in record time, being only fifteen minutes from the camp.

Kate moved behind Sawyer as they rushed to make it back to camp. But the sudden realization that the camp would not be ready for the onslaught of hunters being lead right to them.

"Sawyer, stop!" Kate screamed as she stopped running.

"Freckles, have you gone mad?" he cried as he turned around to pull her to the camp.

"Sawyer, if we don't stop they'll slaughter the whole camp now!" she argued, "We've got to," Kate was cut off by a final gunshot that skimmed her arm and sunk straight into Sawyers.

He fell onto the ground as Kate held her wounded arm, "Sawyer!" she called as she fell down beside him, "Sawyer, are you okay?" Everything fell silent as the footsteps of the others' be heard retreating, apparently a midnight siege was not preferred by them.

"Of course I'm not okay!" He grumbled back, "I just got shot!"

"Stop being such a baby," she replied as she tried to pull him up with one arm, "We've got to get to Jack," she stated.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's gonna be impressed with you," he grunted as she desperately tried to pull him up.

* * *

Jack jolted out of a deep sleep. His hollow eyes wearily shot open as he pushed himself up. He thought he heard gunshots in the jungle, he glanced around the cave and his backpack caught his eyes, it had been emptied of all but two guns, "Kate," he whispered as he through the airplane blanket off of him and exited the cave. 

As he did Locke came huffing into the camp. He set his jaw angrily as he glanced him over, knowing he had somehow tricked Kate into going with him, "What did you do, Locke?" he growled.

"Jack we have to get ready," he panted as he stood up, Jack had calmly started to approach him, "The other's are in the woods, their coming to the camp."

"Where is she?" he growled, a low rumbling growl, his fists clenched at his side.

"She's coming with Sawyer, they're still out there. I ran as fast as I could to come warn you, and…"

"You left her out there alone, with these killers?" Jack's voice was starting to rise.

"She can take care of herself," Locke commented, beginning to regain himself from the long sprint back to camp.

"Everyone keeps telling me that, yet so far I've seen no clear evidence of it," he stated, "I swear Locke if she…"

"Jack!" Kate called as she ran into camp, Sawyer trailing her by a few feet. Jack gave Locke a glare, and started to run towards Kate, "Jack, Sawyer got shot," she informed.

"What happened?" he questioned, his voice clearly containing a high degree of anger.

"We went to go check out the others," she divulged, not being able to force herself to look Jack in the eye, "We were coming back and he got shot in the arm."

"It's not that bad," Sawyer exclaimed as they began to walk to Jack's medical cave, Sawyer took off his shirt and sat in of the airplane chairs that had been salvaged. His arm was streaked with vibrant red blood, which seemed neon in the moonlight.

"That's not what you were saying in the jungle," Kate reminded with a small smile.

After she spoke, no one didn't utter a word as Jack gathered his tools together in order to remove the bullet, "It's not in that deep," he finally announced, "It must have hit something first."

"That would've been Freckles," Sawyer declared as he watched Jack bring out his tweezers.

"What?" Jack asked as he stopped short from burning the tweezers with a lighter to sanitize them.

"The bullet skimmed my arm," Kate divulged pointing to the gash in her skin, "It's not that bad," she added quietly.

"Apparently any injuries received on this island aren't that bad," Jack stated sarcastically, "Someone should go tell Scott that."

After that silence filled the cave again, even when Jack removed the bullet from Sawyer, all he did was wince, never uttering a curse. The tension between Jack and Kate could've been cut with a knife and Sawyer sensed it.

"Hell, if this is the most interesting your conversations get, I have an idea what you two do out in the jungle all day long," he exclaimed as Jack bandaged up his arm.

"Shut up Sawyer," Kate muttered a she pressed the cloth Jack had given her tighter to her arm.

"You're done Sawyer," Jack announced, the gestured towards the door, "Just take it easy for the next day and remember to come and get your pain medication if you need it."

"Yeah I got it Doc," Sawyer murmured as he headed for the opening of the cave, knowing that Jack was going to have a talk with Kate.

When only the two of them occupied the cave Jack stared at Kate, waiting for her to give him some explanation of what happened. She began to stir uncomfortably under his intent gaze.

"Let me take a look at your arm," he told her as he got out a new bandage and a bottle of peroxide.

"It's fine Jack," she crossed her arms defensively, almost challenging him.

"I'd still feel better if you'd let me take a look at it," he replied, his voice stoic, not revealing a sudden kindness or harshness to his emotion.

"I said it's fine," she repeated sternly still not moving from her spot.

Jack sighed infuriated, "What were you thinking Kate? Three of you versus fifty of them? Did you actually think you were going to stop them, or die as a martyr trying?"

"Why are you so angry about this Jack," she asked, "I'm sorry."

"No Kate, you promised me you wouldn't go back out there, you promised me you had my back in any decision I made," he reminded.

"I thought that your decision wasn't the best for the camp Jack. I thought that maybe if we learned what the others were going to do to us, we might have a chance to fight back, to make sure that no one ever got hurt my them again, in our generation or in the future one. And I know while doing so I hurt you Jack, and for that I'm deeply sorry," she stated honestly.

"Kate, this is why your relationships never work," Jack explained with irritation as he sat down on the other side of the cave, "Because relationships are based on trust and love. But you don't trust anyone and for that, they can't trust you."

She stood up quickly, "I'm not a back stabber," she declared, "And I'm sorry if I didn't agree with you on one topic. But Jack I'm allowed to have my own opinions," she expressed as she moved to the mouth of the cave, "And that's what it took for me to see that you were right."

Jack's eyes fell and he warily followed Kate outside where everyone was awake, waiting to know what they planned to do against the others, "Kate, wait," he called to her but she ceased to stop, "I'm sorry," he yelled to her. Everyone's eyes were now glued on the two quarreling lovers.

"You don't have to be sorry Jack," she told him, "It's just the way you feel, and you can't control that. But if you don't trust me, then you're right, this relationship will never work," she informed as she turned and continued to walk away.

"Kate," he called to her again. She turned around harshly, her dark curls swaying with her gracefully movement, the full moon giving her hair beautiful vanilla highlights, "I do trust you."

"Jack," she sighed, not really wishing to continue this argument in front of everyone.

"No Kate, I do, and," Jack sighed as he gazed her over, her fair skin almost illuminated by the sunlight, her freckles clearly visible even from where he stood a few feet away, and her eyes, her beautiful green eyes held a certain pain in them. He wanted to tell himself that he wasn't the cause of it, but even through the denial he knew it was his fault.

She tired of waiting for an answer, and turned away from him, away from the gazing eyes, trying to piece together what exactly had happened. Then Jack knew it was then or never, he had to tell Kate of he really felt, but he seemed to have misplaced all words. So he acted on impulse and used actions to express himself.

He reached forward and grabbed Kate softly, but firm enough so that she couldn't wriggle away. Then bent his head down capturing her lips passionately. They moved over hers fervently, his hands sliding up her back, and into her hair. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, as her hands found their way to the back of his neck.

"YES!" Hurley yelled as he jumped up from his seat and gyrated his hips. Jack and Kate broke their kiss, everyone's eyes moved to Hurley, "I had today! I win! I win the pot!"

"Congratulations," Kate offered as she leaned her head against Jack's chest with a grin.

"Well you were the guys who made it happen," Hurley reminded, "And I have to say it's about friggn' time!"

_

* * *

Okay, I know a lot of you guys like my story, "The Sickness" But it was a one-shot. But after a quick consultation with my idea perfecter (You know who are, Mrs. MAKE IT END HAPPY!) I've decided to write a second half to it! So Huzzah for that. Also I'm writing a another QUICK one-shot, that I'm making less then 2000 words. So look for that up sometime soon. _


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